What if?
by lilMissWombat
Summary: Episode: Ultimatum. What would have happened if Don was the hostage instead of Colby? Colby gets shot and Don is exchanged as Ian's hostage, as the team scrambles to find Garcia in time. One-shot.


**Disclaimer: **

I read a marvelous fic from someone else on this platform, where Colby accidentally got shot in Ultimatum and Don offered to take his place. This got me thinking and I just had to play out that storyline myself.

Check out the original fic if you like. It is called 'Ultimatum' by Arikae.

…..

Ian felt his sink, when he heard the gunshot and felt the bulky man in front of him starting to fall. He could not believe this was happening. Did Calvin seriously just take a shot although she clearly did not have one? It had just been him, Don and Colby and then Sinclair and the prison marshals had come in and fucked it all up.

Ian moved his arm that was Colby away from his neck, so he wouldn't choke the man, as he had trouble staying on his feet. Colby must have been heard pretty bad, Ian thought. Time to think fast.

"Hey, Ian. Just take it easy man", Don said and held out his hand in a calming gesture. "Just take it easy alright. We need to get him to a medic".

"Oh yeah, I'll just do that. Then when I let go Colby and I'll stand and get ready for the firing squad Calvin here has prepared for me", Ian said and shook his head. He could feel sweat starting to form on his forehead and his left arm was hurting by trying to keep Colby in an upright position with just one hand.

"Yeah, you know it", Calvin chimed in and gave him a dead-stare.

"Hey, shut up!", Don yelled, clearly pissed at her for making this mess even bigger than it was to begin with. He seemed to hesitate for a moment and then slowly starting to lower it gun. He still had a pretty good grip on it though as he said; "Take me instead".

"Don…", Sinclair started, his eyes focused on Edgerton and his dead grip on his wounded partner.

"Hey, Colby needs a medic, alright?", Don said both to his agent and to Edgerton. "You take me, you still have an agent as your hostage. A hostage that won't bleed out on you, while settles this". Don was practically pleading with him at this point, his eyes skipping back and forth between his wounded agent and Edgerton.

Edgerton had not had a change yet to take a look at Colby, but by Don's looks and the way the agent in his arms was sagging together like a bag of potatoes, he figured the agent had been wounded pretty bad. Fuck it, he thought to himself and made a head gesture to the rest of the people in the room, without removing his gaze from Eppes. "Get them out".

"Alright", Don said in a calm tone and nodded. "You heard the man".

"You got to be kidding…", the prison marshal started.

"Move it", Don yelled, clearly back in his leading tone. "David get them out of here".

David reached out and pulled both marshals out the door. Calvin send Edgerton a real stink eye before she begrudgingly let David pull her out the situation. David slammed the door behind them and then it was just Ian, Don and Colby in the room.

"Put down your gun", Ian ordered and Don obliged, slowly and while always showing his hands, just like the academy had taught them. "Now your leg piece". Ian smirked, as Don begrudgingly pulled up his right pants leg and pulled out his hidden piece. He tossed it on the floor next to his side arm.

"Kick both of them behind you", Ian said and Don followed suit. Ian then made a head gesture towards a support beam. "Take out your cuffs and put your hands around the pole. Tie 'em up. Nice and easy". Ian slowly moved away, as Don took a step towards the beam thus closer to Ian. He made sure to always keep a good distance between him and Eppes. He knew the agent was a good fighter and he did not want to give the man any chances.

In his arms he was still holding Colby, who was starting to moan and Ian had to hold a frown back from appearing on his forehead. He seriously hoped Colby would make it through this. He wouldn't want this friends blood on his hands, just because the stupid bitch did know when to take the shot and when not to.

When Don was all tied up and unarmed he nodded to the wounded agent between them. "Now let him go".

Ian smirked. "Trying to call the shots, Eppes?" He did, however, gentle place Colby next to the door and for the first time had a chance to take a look at him. The man was seriously pale and blood was oozing out a wound to his abdomen. Ian cursed beneath his breathe. Damned Calvin. When he got out of here he would sure teach her a lesson or two.

"Hang in there Granger", Ian mumbled. "Can't lose our favorite quarterback, now can we?"

Behind his back, Don frowned by the sound of those words but quickly removed it, when Ian stood up and placed himself behind Eppes. Don felt the cold steel against his right temple and could feel the presence of the dangerous man behind him. Never before had Don put himself in such a dangerous position and he was not entirely sure, what had possessed him to it this time. Sure, his agent was wounded and needed immediate medical attention. But this was definitely not playing it by the book.

"Open the door", Ian yelled from behind his back and soon after the handle moved. David opened the door with his piece up and quickly took in the situation in front of him. Clearly, he did not like his boss tied up in his own cuffs and with a gun to his head.

"I believe that is yours", Ian nodded towards Colby, who was leaning against the wall next to the door – he was far too quiet and pale for Don's liking.

"Move", David said to someone behind him and one geared up marshals ran in. he grabbed Colby and dragged him out the door, which made the bulky moan in pain.

"Now close the door", Ian said, as the two other men had moved out the room. Don could see David hesitating, sending Don a look. Don nodded in agreement and David made a face, as if he would much rather shoot Edgerton than leave his boss tied up and unarmed with him. Don was relieved, when he saw the door close shot.

Immediately, Ian set to work. He stopped over to the coffee machine, pulled out the cords and starting trimming off the plastic.

"What's your play here, Ian?", Don said. Ian simply ignored him and instead started wrapping the cords around a metal fork, which he then pushed underneath the door. He connected the metal cords to the handle. "Come on, Ian. You gotta talk to me", Don pushed on.

"Do I know?", Ian asked as he turned around and send him one of his favorite smirks. More than once Don had had the urge to remove that smirk with a well-placed fist and never before had he had such a strong urge to do it. Too bad his hands were locked up.

"What are you getting at, Ian? What do you want?"

Ian sighed and removed the gun from his waistband, where he had put while fixing the little trap by the door. "Look there's two things you gotta understand here, Eppes". He stepped all the way up to Don and stared him dead in the eyes. Don not as much as flinched, as the armed man stepped into his personal space.

"Number one; I did not kill Castio"

Don could not help but frown, when he heard this. "And two?"

"There's no way I'm going to jail". He send Don a hard look and moved back towards the small kitchenette area, where he started to search through the cabinet.

"I mean, I hate to break it to you Ian, but you're already here".

Ian ignored him and continued his search.

Don shook his head and sighed before closing his eyes and leaning his head against the beam in front of him. How the hell was he going to get himself out of this mess?

Edgerton pulled out some crackers and dry biscuits and placed them on the table in front of him. Looked like Edgerton was planning for them to be here for a while, Don thought and told himself to be relieved by that, since it meant that he would at least not get shot in the most foreseeable future. He still did not really know whether or not Ian would actually shoot him, if things came down to it. It had been the woman, Calvin, escalating things back there with Colby and for a short second, Don believed he has seen true fear, when Colby had been shot and was starting to fall to the floor. Maybe the fear had simply been for himself?

Still, Don had definitely heard a hint of concern and well-meaning spirits, when Edgerton had talked to Colby just before he had allowed David to open the door.

Was Edgerton simply unhinged? Would he really shoot up his old friends and coworkers if it came down to it? Right now, Don had no idea. He remembered how the fugitive-game had messed up his own head after a while and that he had had to quit it. Ian had been at it far longer Don ever had. Maybe he had finally snapped and gone dirty?

Suddenly, the landline hanging on the wall next furthest away from the door starting ringing. Ian, who had been pacing back and forth in the room so far, stopped and set Don a look.

"Show-time", he said and grabbed the phone. "I'll keep it simply. G5 fueled on a tarmac at Alley X…" Ian positioned himself right in front of Don and looked to be thinking about it for a while before he said; "and a Beatle's reunion".

Don rolled his eyes and looked away.

"_I want to know what I have do to get my boss out of there safely", _Don could head David say through the phone.

"There's only Paul and Ringo – shouldn't be too hard", Ian said.

"_Yeah, you want to play around? I got 20 marshals out here, itching to turn this into a bloodbath, okay?"_

Don send Ian an irritated look. 20 marshals storming the room was exactly what neither of them wanted right now. Shots would for sure be fired and Don would with guarantee be caught in the crossfire.

"Get me Professor Eppes on a video feed within the next 20 minutes", Ian said and moved away from Don. Immediately, Don reacted and followed Ian carefully, as he moved around the room.

"_I need to know that Don is alright"_

"He's fine, as long as no one does anything stupid like a crisis entry, like I'm sure the marshals are pushing for, he'll stay that way". Ian send Don another look.

"What the hell do you want with my brother?", Don asked and shook his head in anger. Like hell he was going to drag his little brother into this mess. He would prefer if neither his dad nor brother never found how dangerous a situation he had just managed to put himself in.

"_Ian", _Nikki's voice suddenly sounded in the phone and Ian's face changed, as he looked away from Don. Don knew the two had had a thing going for a while there. _"It's me"_

"Betancourt. It's been a while since I heard your voice".

"_Yeah, well you stopped calling"_

"Yeah, uhm", Ian stammered, and Don could not help but notice how the other man seemed to momentarily have lost a bit of his cool. Ian must really have liked her. "Fugitive hunt in the Abajo Mountains. Cell phone service really sucked".

There was a silence for a while but Nikki's voice once more sang through the phone. _"Back on the hunt? That must have made you happy?"._

Ian made a face and shook his head. "I'll tell you what will make me happy. Is to have my friends trust me". He was back at it again, invading Don's face and Don could do nothing but to face his cold stare and wait to see, where Ian's trail of thought led them all.

"_Hey, we do. I do". _

"Really? That's why you keep me on the phone so the marshals can find a way to TAKE ME OUT!", Ian finally lost his cool and screamed at the phone. Don really did not appreciate his rapid mood swings and glanced down at his cuffed-up hands. He would need either the key or something sharp and long to pick the lock. And Don had neither of those. Besides, he seriously doubted he could get away with picking his own lock while Ian was in the room.

"_Taking Don hostage is not gonna help your case. If you're innocent, we'll prove it". _

"I spent my career putting my ass on the line, thinking it'll make a difference", Ian was clearly agitated and started to pace back and forth with the gun in his hand, which seriously worried Don. "and how does the Bureau repay me? By putting me behind bars! By believing scum like Salazar!"

"_Noone's convicted you of anything yet"_

"Yeah sure the haven't", Ian scoffed. "If Charlie is not on my computer screen in the next 19 minutes it's going to get real messy in here. Let's see how Charlie is going to feel like that, huh?" Ian said the last thing while looking at Don and Don send him a harsh look in return. Ian would stay the hell away from his little brother or so help him God, Don would find a way to beat the shit out of Ian with his hands tied.

Ian slammed the phone back onto the wall.

"What the hell do you want with my brother, Ian?". Don could feel himself tensing up just by the mere thought of how Charlie was going to react by seeing Don in this situation.

Ian sighed and rolled his eyes. "Relax, Don. Your brother's just going to help me with a little problem".

Don scoffed and thought of how frantic his brother would be the moment he heard of Don's situation. He was not sure that Charlie could actually keep it together long enough to help Ian with anything. "You should have picked another hostage then".

"Yeah, well in case you hadn't noticed Eppes, you weren't exactly my first pick". Ian started pacing through the room again, clearly still agitated from the phone call.

Don let that sit for a while. "What do you need his help with?"

"You'll see", Ian said without looking at him and continued his pacing

"Come on, Ian. Just talk to me. What else are you going to do? Carve a path through the floor?"

Ian smirked and stopped his pacing. "You know what did first compel you to pull your brother in on your cases?"

Don wished Ian would go back his pacing.

"Bringing in a math professor to solve crime... that's a little unorthodox don't you think?" Ian chuckled to himself. "Hell, even a bit irresponsible. I mean, the first time I meet him, he almost gets gunned down by a rogue sniper".

"You shut your mouth". Don could feel his blood starting to boil. He did not care for the way Ian was talking about his brother and especially him almost getting gunned down, like it was some form of joking matter. His heart had literally stopped for a second, when he had first seen Charlie wandering about out in the open that day, before it felt like it was cramping up. When the shot had fired… he was sure his brother was dead and he himself felt the dread and horror fill every atom of his being. He still had nightmares about that day and the many other times, Charlie since then had been in danger. At this point, Don no longer had any count of the amount of times Charlie had been in danger, because of his consulting work with the FBI. That horrible feeling of having his stop for then only to cramp in phantom pain had resurfaced many times – too many times – since that sniper case and Don was sure that it would continue to overcome him, as long as Charlie continued to work for the FBI.

Don had tried so many times to get him to stop, but his little brother had flat out refused it every time. Charlie could be incredible stubborn like. Don figured that was one of the only things, where the two were actually alike.

Ian laughed and broke out in a smile. "Relax Eppes. I'm just messing with you". He went to sat down at a chair by the kitchenette, while they waited for Charlie's to come on the video feed.

Ian could feel his familiar smirk settle around his lips and he shook his head, when he noticed Eppes' tense shoulders and how the agent was breathing deeply in an attempt to calm himself down. Eppes was simply too easy. Edgerton knew very well that Charlie was the tough agent's weak spot and he could not help but tease the man a bit, now that he was fully at his mercy.

When Ian had first met the Professor, he had found him a bit odd. He reminded him too much of the braniacs and do-gooder's that he had made such a clear point of staying away from while in school. He had never fit in with people like that and had never made much of an attempt to understand them. But throughout the sniper case and the many case they had worked on since then, he had grown to admire the man. The Professor surely saw the world in a completely different way that Ian did and yet, their two separate skillset had worked so well together on so many occasions. Ian knew that the Professor was highly skilled within his field and as being seen as highly skilled within his own field, Ian could definitely appreciate that.

But it went beyond that. Ian had found himself becoming quite fond of the Professor and enjoyed his awkward charisma and kind nature. He was so absolutely different from Ian that he could not help but care for him. In some ways, Charlie Eppes completely embodied the innocent and weak that Ian had signed up to the army to defend in the first place. And yet at the same time, the man was able to use his talents to help and aid his brother, Ian and so many other agents in the work. He was invaluable asset to their fight against the darker forces of humanity and Ian could not help but to admire for it.

More than anything, he admired the way the man had managed to infiltrate the dark and somewhat dangerous world of the FBI without losing his sense of self. Hell, Ian had seen far too many flip over to the dark side and was still shocked that Don and his team apparently never did. When he had news about Colby spying for the Chinese he had simply nodded to himself, confirmed no person, no team and no organization could be fully good. Little did he know that he a few months later would get the pleasant surprise of hearing how the man was actually a tribble agent – essentially making him an even bigger hero for his country than he had already been before the Chinese connection was revealed. And now that man was probably in the hospital fighting for his life, because Ian had chosen him as his first hostage.

Don and his team continued to astonish Ian in their goodness and how they were seemingly unable to be corrupted. Perhaps that was also why it now hurt even more that they believed him to have flipped to the dark side. He scoffed to himself. Truth be told, he could not blame them for thinking so little of him, living the way he did closed off from anyone and anything for long stretches at a time. He was a textbook case for a guy losing a few screws and going nuts. His friends was just doing their job by mistrusting him. He would honestly fault them for not figuring him to have gone crazy at this point.

"_Hey Ian". _

Don suddenly heard his brother speak over the computer that had been delivered to the door and Ian had set up, and he felt his heart sink. He could practically feel the fear and worry in his brother's voice. Oh buddy, Don thought to himself and hated himself for putting Charlie in this position.

Ian, who had been fumbling around with some cords near the door suddenly rose and went to the computer.

"Sorry to drag you into this Professor but I need your skills".

"_Where's my brother? Is he okay?"_

Ian made a face and turned the screen so that Charlie could see Don for himself. "Here".

Don looked at computer screen, where he saw his brother's very worried and nervous face. In the background he could see Liz's leg, meaning she was probably guiding him through the talk.

"_Don". _Charlie seemed to swallow a lump before being to continue. _"You okay, bro?"_

"Yeah, buddy I'm fine. Just listen to what Ian has to say, alright?" Don tried to keep his tone of voice as soft and calm as possible, while inwardly he was boiling. He wanted to hurt both Ian and himself for putting that worried expression on his brother's face.

Ian flipped the screen back so that it was facing him again. "Satisfied?"

"_What do you want me to do?"_

"I need you to help me fix this mess that I've been put in"

"_And what mess would that be? Kidnapping my brother?"_

"Nah, I was thinking about me being pinned with a murder change for a murder I didn't commit". When Charlie did not immediately answer, Ian sighed and lost some of the harsh look he had had so far. His tone of voice and the look in his eyes was far kinder, when he continued. "Your brother will be fine Professor, as long as you help me out first. Salazar was afraid Garcia was going to testify against him so he ordered him to be wacked. But Garcia escaped before the job got done".

"_Escaped felons. Isn't that what they pay you to do?"_

"Hah!", Ian laughed coldly before standing up and starting pacing again. "Outside Garcia had nowhere to turn for money but Salazar's people. He wouldn't have lasted 10 minutes. But inside the jail that would be the perfect place for him to hide, until he could talk to the cops and get guaranteed protection for himself".

"_You think Garcia is hiding in the prison system?"_

"Using someone else's identity. What I was trying to tell your brother", Ian looked back and send Don a dirty look. Don just looked back at him. He was still trying to take in all the information that he had just learned.

Ian went over to grab a simply butter knife from the kitchenette before returning to the video feed. "Prisoner's all wear ID bracelets". He put the knife in between his wrist and the bracelet and easily took off the bracelet he himself was wearing, which identified him as a prisoner and his name. "Easy enough to get off. Once you do, you're lost in the system".

"_How many prisoner's are there?"_

"6000"

"_Okay, now I understand why you called me. You're talking about a longitudinal socializing process as it applies to prison population". _

Ian looked like he had to hold back an angry remark, as he looked around with an annoyed and confused look. Don appreciated the restrain he showed when answering his brother. "Sounds complex"

"_It's very"_

"Well hopefully not too complex. Because Don is really counting on you to get the right answer". Ian looked back and send Don a look. Don stared meanly back at him. Charlie was frazzled enough as it was. He did not need for Ian to be threatening him with his brother's life on top of it as well.

"_Look, I'll get it done, okay? Just… please, don't hurt my brother"._

Ian's heart almost curled in on itself, when he heard the panicked tone in the Professor's voice. He hated that he had to scare the man like that, but it was important that Charlie was truly motivated to get this job done and to do it fast. Ian did not know how much time he had, before the marshals deciding to fuck the FBI over and break down the door. He had to get this done before that happened or both him and Eppes would be screwed.

"You're brother will be fine Charlie, as young as you find Garcia. Now, I realize that holding your brother at gunpoint might make you a little nervous, but I need you to find your Zen alright? You're the only one who can help me out here".

He ended the video feed, before Charlie could say another word. He could not handle the professor staring at him with those innocent puppy eyes of his.

So you think Garcia's still inside the prison? How did you come to think that?" Don was trying to understand Edgerton and his state of mind better. He did not seem crazy but Don honestly did not know how clear-headed he was. He had never seen the other man so unhinged and frazzled before as he was now. On the other hand, Don had never seen him in jail accused of killing another man before either.

Ian was busy pushing a metal table against the door, which he had flipped on his side. "Like I said. Garcia knew he would not survive out on the street, so his best chance of staying alive would be to stay in here, hidden away somewhere. It's logical. I'm sure your brother would agree with that notion".

Don had to bite his tongue but still could not keep back the words. "You know you did not have to speak to him like that. Charlie knows the stakes. If Garcia is inside the prison he'll find him".

Ian looked back at him. "You know, you put a lot of faith in your brother", he said in a calm and thoughtful voice before going back to securing the door with the table. "It's something I always admired about the two of you. The faith you put in each other. The trust. It's a sort of relationship only few people get to experience". Ian pushed the heavy table once more before sliding all the way in front of the door. He picked up his gun from his waistband again and went to check the cuffs around Don's hands to see whether they were still secure.

"You're lucky to have it". Ian looked at Don and Don looked at him.

Don did not dare look down at the gun in Ian's hand, Colby's gun, but he could feel its presence. He knew exactly where it was and he thought how easy it would have been to grab it right now, if only he had one of his hand's loose. But would he really use it, even if he had it? He had had a shot before, when Ian had first grabbed Colby, and Don had not taken it. What had stopped him? He had for sure hesitated. Maybe he just did not want to believe that Ian too, like so many other of his other coworkers recently, had gone bad. Don seriously did not know if he could even handle seeing another good agent get corrupt. Although, right now, with Ian holding a gun on him, it did not really bode well for his sniper friend here.

Ian smirked at him, almost as if was guessing the stream of thought running through the other man's head. "You had a shot back there", Ian said and distanced himself from Don. He sad down at one of the chairs in the room and took some of the biscuits that he had found earlier. "Why didn't you take it?"

Don's legs and back were beginning to hurt from having stood in the same position for as long as he had and he leaned against the beam for support. Outside the sun was beginning to set. He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know", he said honestly.

Ian seemed to think long and hard about it. Suddenly, he spat out the biscuit he had been chewing on and threw the remained of the package away. "Stale", he mumbled.

"Well you know one way to fix that", Ian said and nodded towards the phone. "All you gotta do is call".

Ian chuckled and moved his chair closer to Don before he sat down again. "Sorry, but you're worth a little more to me than that".

Don rolled his eyes. "So what's really going to happen here, Ian? If Charlie finds Garcia…"

"If?", Ian laughed. "Doubting on your brother's voodoo skills, Eppes?"

"Oh, I don't doubt Charlie", Don said and smiled. "If Garcia's here, Charlie is going to find him. It's just a matter of time".

Ian nodded in agreement.

"What's your endgame here?", Don asked, returning to his original question. "If Garcia gets found, you're just going to throw your hands in the air and say 'oops my bad for kidnapping an agent and getting another one shot'?"

"Don't you pin that on me", Ian grumbled and leaned forward. "Calvin never should have taken that shot".

"You used him as a human shield, Ian!", Don sneered. "What did you think was going to happen?".

Ian did not answer and looked away. He took his time before he spoke again. "You know, you're good at things. Fighting the good fight, beating away the bad guys. Don't you ever get tired though? Don't you ever get the feeling that…" Ian shrugged and looked honestly concerned and hopeless. "that it's all for nothing. That no matter what we do and how much we fight, there's still going to be another bad guy right around the corner to take the other man's place?"

"That what happened to you? You got tired of fighting the good fight so you decided to join the bad one?"

Ian laughed and shook his head. He opened his mouth as if to answer and then closed it. He turned his gaze and eyes to the door, listening to something only he could hear. Then Don heard it too. The sound of heavily armed men in big boats trotting down the hall, coming towards them.

For fucks sake David, Don swore to himself. Don't let them breach yet. There was no way in hell Ian was ready to simply hand over his gun and go down peacefully.

Ian flew to his feet silently and stood with his gun out, facing the door.

Someone outside must have reached for the handle, because the little trap, Ian had set up earlier, panned off. Electricity flew threw the cords and someone outside swore, as if in pain. Meanwhile Ian chuckled to himself and they could hear the troops outside the door retreating.

Don send him a disgusted look.

Ian looked at him and shrugged. "Just a few volts. Just enough to send a message".

"Yeah? Well what message is that, Ian? A sociopath who enjoys hurting people?" Don knew he should have kept his cool, but he was getting more and more agitated as the day passed. It was dark outside now and had been so far awhile, meaning it was probably nearing nighttime if it was not so already. He wanted this to end soon and preferable with him having no holes in his body.

Ian send him a cold look as he slowly moved towards him. Don mentally prepared himself, as Ian got all the way up into his space. He prepared himself to be punched and told his body not to tense up, as he waited for the fist. Instead, to his surprise, Ian reached out for the chair he had been sitting on earlier and put it behind Don, before silently moving away.

Don hesitantly sat down. He had to keep back a moan, as his back and the rest of his body screamed in pain by the movement after having been standing for so long. Instead he put his pain clearly on display on his face and tried to hide it from Ian, as he finally made contact with the chair.

"You know, I always liked you Eppes. You're a true fed without having been swept up in the politics or bureaucracy of the Bureau. You're tough and willing to get the job done no matter what". Ian pointed to himself and Don with the gun. "We're not so different you and I".

"Really? 'Cause from where I'm sitting there's a pretty clear difference, Ian". Don nodded to the gun in Ian's hand and then gently shook the cuffs around his wrists. They were starting to heard his hands a bit and he was sure he would have a mark there for a day or two.

Ian smiled and shook his head. "You know back when you asked me to have a chat with Buck Winters and make him talk about places where his cooker girlfriend could be keeping Reeves... you surprised me. Up until that point I had you figured for a straight shooter".

Ian made a face by the thought of that case and how far he had been willing to go to get his agent back safely. For a long time afterwards, he had been unsure about himself and to what extend he personally would be willing to go to if need be. "I crossed back then, Ian. I'd taken care not to do it again since".

Ian smiled and shook his head. "Crossed a line, huh?"

"There are lines, you know", Don said and looked at his friend, wearing a prison outfit with a stolen gun in his hand and keeping an agent as a hostage. "If we first start crossing them, we may not be able to see them next time around".

"So you're telling me you would never cross the line again, if you really had to? What if it was Charlie's life on the line? Are you seriously going to tell me that you wouldn't do absolutely everything you could to make sure he was okay?"

Don tensed up again. "Why do you keep talking about me and Charlie?"

Ian shrugged and looked away. "Call me curious".

Don did not answer and instead Ian shook his head.

"You know, I have a brother myself", Ian said in a quiet voice. "He's younger than me. Much younger. We're not very close". He shrugged. "I guess that's why yours and Charlie's relationship is a little astonishing to me. You're both so different and yet so extremely alike. And you're able to work through your difference in order to get the job done – and get it done well. Your office has one of the biggest solving rates in the state".

Don thought of Charlie and how worried he must be right now. He had tried to keep his mind of his little brother so far, but when Ian kept talking about him, there was not much he could do. He knew Charlie would be absolutely frantic and yet still trying to work the problem and find the solution. He would do whatever it took to get Don out of here alive and safe – and Don only hoped he could keep his head straight until he did.

He thought about how he, Don, would react himself, if the roles were reversed. If someone held Charlie captive and had a gun to his head, threatening to pull it, if Don did not do exactly as the gunman said. There had been so many close calls over the years they had worked together. Far too many close calls and Don would never have forgiven himself if any one of those had turned out to be the final one.

Would he cross the line for Charlie? Please. Don scoffed. "There's not a single thing I wouldn't do for Charlie". There was no line when it came to Charlie or when it came to protecting his family. It is probably the reason why he went as far as he did, when Megan was kidnapped. She was not family in that sense, but she was part of his team. And through the years his team had turned into a sort of family as well. He was sure the rest of the people on his team felt exactly like he did. There's was not a thing they wouldn't do to make sure each of them were safe.

Ian smiled. "Yeah. Thought so"

The phone rang again and Ian grabbed it. "Find him?"

"_We're having some problems", _David's voice sounded on the other end. _"Charlie needs some more time"_.

"You are going to hurt this man to prove my point!", Ian yelled at the top of his lungs and put the gun in front of Don's face.

Don's could not help but back off with his face and distance himself to the gun in front of him.

"_Ian, don't…", _David's voice was cut off, when Ian threw the phone on the ground. _"Ian? Ian!"_

"Ian, just calm down, alright?", Don said in a calming voice. "Charlie's going to find…

"Oh, shut up Eppes", Ian growled. "Or I might just actually shoot you".

Don tried to quench the anger inside him but failed. "Well, go ahead then, Ian. Take your shot".

Ian just looked at him. "Have you lost it?"

"Only, I don't think you're really going to shoot me. Unless I'm mistaken?"

Ian send him a mean look. "Oh really?"

"I heard you when you put down Colby to get him out of here. You sounded truly concerned. You care about my brother – enough to try and calm him down, even after you just threatened him with killing me if he doesn't do his job and find Garcia"

Ian did not speak and just kept staring at him with his cold eyes.

"You're not going to shoot me" Don spoke with more conviction that he actually felt, but despite everything his instinct told him that he could trust Ian. Although it was a bit hard to believe while he was pointing a gun at you.

Ian was silent, until he finally smirked. "Of course, I'm not going to shoot you, you ass". He said and holstered his gun. "I'm just going to beat you up a little if the situation calls for it".

Don let go of a breathe he did not know he held, when Ian went back to pacing the floor. He nodded to himself. He believed Ian, when he said he was not going to shoot him. Don would get out of here alive. That is if the marshals kept in line.

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"I better hear Garcia's voice on the other end of this phone?"

No more than 10 minutes had gone by before the phone started ringing again and Ian had grabbed it.

"_Hey we located him alright? I need to talk to Don, RIGHT NOW!"_

Don could hear the anxiety on David's voice through the phone and he tried to speak as calmly as he could. "Hey David. Still alive in here"

"_We found Garcia, alright? He's in maximum security. It'll will take us a few minutes to get to him". _Don was wondering why David was saying these things to him, when he should have been saying it Ian and calmed him down. He understood when the next words were being said. "_Maybe in the meantime I can send you guys some food? Some Italian? You know, maybe some Mexican?"_

Ian sighed and annoyed took the phone away from Don and answered David himself. "No food. Just Garcia. 5 minutes". He smacked the phone back on the wall. "Garcia get himself transferred to maximum security".

Don nodded. "Yeah, he must have been really afraid of Salazar"

"He could have figured out a way to get to a cellblock Salazar didn't control. He picked a spot that no one can get to" Ian looked at Don.

"A place that's being watched 24/7" Don was seeing the picture now. He had the same feeling as he always had when all the little puzzle pieces of a case is starting to fall into place.

"Salazar can't operate without help inside the jail", Ian continued

"The marshal"

"Garcia knew all along. Castello was killed before he could give me the exact location".

Don lost his cool, when he was beginning to realize something else. "You let yourself be arrested?"

"I had to get in here. It was my best chance to find Garcia plus I needed Charlie's help".

"What?". Don wanted to beat the shit out of Ian right now. "If you wanted Charlie's help you should've just asked for it! Instead you make up this entire stunt".

"I needed to see the prison from the inside. To see whether it was even possible that Garcia could be hiding somewhere inside the system"

"You're crazy, you know that Ian?"

"Crazy gets the job done"

"Yeah and killed. You better hope Colby's alright or I'm going to come back to kick your ass".

"Trust me I'll beat you to it. Right after I deal with Calvin".

Don closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He could not loose his shit now.

"5 more minutes. 5 more minutes and Garcia will give us Salazar's partner"

Don shook his head. "We may not have that much time. The bit about the food. Mexico. It's Colby and David distress word. That mean's the marshals is getting ready to breach".

"So you gotta ask yourself Eppes; Why are they pushing to make entry? Why wouldn't he at least listen to what Garcia has to say? He wants to protect himself and know he's gotta kill me, because I know too much".

Don shook his head. "You are an ass, you know that right?"

Ian smirked and produced the keys to the cuffs around Don's wrists. "I've been called worse".

He released Don and moved around his hands for a bit to get the blood flowing before accepting the gun that Ian was handing him. They moved to the far corner of the room and waited for the bomb to drop, which it did only about a minute later.

"Hands up! Hands..", voices started to yell, as the heavily armed marshals stormed the room.

"I got him. I got him!" Don yelled and positioned himself in between Ian and the marshals, offering himself up as a human shield. Ian thought of how ironic it was considering how this ordeal had started out.

Don had the gun pointed at Ian's head and Ian had his arms behind his head. He felt his heart drop, when he looked down and noticed the little green dot on one of the marshal's sniper scopes. He was sure the marshal was about to shoot him down, when good ol' Sinclair suddenly flew in the broken wall and pushed the gun on the marshal down.

"Just in case you don't shoot any better than you think", Sinclair said. "Where the hell is Calvin?"

Calvin, huh? Ian thought to himself. He should have figured it was that bitch from the start. The shot at Colby was probably a means for her to agitate the situation and have the whole thing end up in a shooting match, which would have left the question of Garcia unanswered. He was for sure going to have a chat with her, when all of this was done.

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"Don!" Don steeled himself, when he saw his little brother running towards him frantically. His brother grabbed him and pulled him in for a big hug, before he quickly let him go and looked at him rather awkwardly but still slightly panicked.

"Hi, I'm okay Charlie. Really?" Don smiled and put his arm around Charlie's shoulder. "Seems like you saved my ass there, huh? I think it's safe to say that I owe you a beer".

A beer was just what they needed, Don figured. He would tell Charlie about Ian and his reasoning over a cold beer and Charlie could talk about how he once again had performed a small miracle with his math.

And food. They would need food too. God, he was starving. He hadn't eaten anything all day, since he was captured. A good big meal, a nice beer with his little brother and then off to bed.

As Don walked out of the FBI office and down towards the parking lot he suddenly realized something. "Hey Charlie, don't say anything to dad, alright?"


End file.
